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Appendix
Illustrative examples in italicised text below
serve to indicate actions and areas of knowledge
appropriate to the role of headteacher. They are not
exhaustive, nor are they appropriate to all
headteachers in all situations, and so they should not
be used as a checklist.
Professional actions
Leading and managing learning and
teaching:
For example, headteachers ensure a consistent
school-wide focus on children and young people's
attainment and achievement, and that learning is at the
centre of strategic planning and resource management.
They promote an ethos of care, achievement, respect and
inclusion, a safe, efficient and effective learning
environment, high standards of behaviour and attendance
and a culture of challenge and support to enable
children and young people and staff to achieve success
and become engaged with their own learning. They
demonstrate and articulate consistently high
expectations and set stretching targets for the whole
school community, develop effective systems for
managing learning and teaching and monitor, evaluate
and review classroom practice and experience.
Leading and developing people:
For example, headteachers share leadership, build
teams and work co-operatively to achieve school goals.
They build alliances within and beyond the school,
treat people fairly and with respect to create and
maintain a positive culture. They develop the trust and
support of staff, and develop and maintain effective
strategies for staff induction, professional review and
development, staff welfare and career development. They
ensure individual and team accountabilities are clearly
defined, understood and agreed, and are subject to
review and evaluation, support staff to achieve high
standards, and take appropriate actions when
performance is unsatisfactory. They consult, delegate,
empower and trust others, recognise and appreciate a
variety of talents and approaches to problem-solving
and task completion, build a participatory ethos and
involve children and young people in decision-making
processes. They manage own workload and support others
to ensure an appropriate work-life balance.
Leading improvement:
For example, headteachers seek continuous improvement,
work collaboratively with other services and agencies
involved with young people and their families. They
establish creative, innovative approaches to develop
curricula which enable all children and young people to
realise their individual potential and take a strategic
role in the use of new technologies to enhance and extend
learning.
Using resources effectively:
For example, headteachers manage available
resources to support effective learning and teaching,
negotiate and secure agreement for budgets with school
staff, and integrate the budget plan with school and
staff development plans. They monitor and evaluate the
use of resources, including staff, to support
implementation of school policies and secure value for
money, and monitor and control spending within agreed
budgets.
Building community:
For example, headteachers develop and maintain
positive and professional relationships with all those
associated with the school community, build effective
partnerships with all those working with children and
young people and their families in the local community,
and develop and maintain structures for effective
liaison and consultation. This will include creating a
culture of respect which is inclusive of all in the
community.
Strategic vision, values and
commitments
Vision and standards:
For example, headteachers ensure the school vision
is clearly articulated, shared, understood and
implemented, taking account of the school's context and
culture. They create a shared culture to motivate
others and develop a positive climate for success, show
commitment to raising standards of educational
attainment and achievement for all in school, and use
evidence to evaluate the practice of themselves and
others.
Integrity and ethical practice:
For example, headteachers promote equality, social
justice and inclusion, exemplify consistent educational
values in their behaviour and translate these into
practical aims which engage the whole school community
in relating their practice to educational aims and
value. They understand the ethical and evaluative
issues in education, hold, articulate and argue for
professionally defensible educational values and act as
a model of a leading professional within the
school.
Democratic values:
For example, headteachers set expectations of high
levels of respect for self and others, ensure a focus
on the duties and responsibilities of citizenship in a
democratic society, and promote collegiality at all
levels within the school.
Learning for life:
F
or example, headteachers promote creativity and
ambition, and seek to equip children and young people with
the skills, attitudes and expectations necessary to prosper
in a changing society. They provide a rationale for the way
in which they operate, taking account of a variety of
perspectives, regularly review their own practice, and
identify development needs and set targets.
Knowledge and understanding
Learning and teaching:
For example, headteachers have knowledge and
understanding of relevant educational research. They
evaluate new methodologies and strategies to improve
learning, including the use of new technologies.
Education policy, schools and
schooling:
For example, headteachers have good knowledge and
understanding of local, national and global priorities,
the roles, functions and structures of the local
authorities, the Scottish Executive and other national
bodies, the legislative and policy frameworks which
govern education at national, local and school levels.
They know and understand quality in education processes
and quality assurance systems, strategies for raising
achievement and achieving excellence, principles and
practice in relation to leadership and leading change,
and issues relating to inclusion.
Social and environmental trends and
developments:
For example, headteachers remain aware of social
trends and changes as they impact on education. They
take account of such issues in planning and
implementing change.
Leadership and management
For example, headteachers have good knowledge and
understanding of school self-evaluation and improvement
strategies, tools for data collection and analysis and
the use of evidence to support sound judgement. They
know and understand the range of external influences
which have an impact on strategic and operational
planning.
Personal and interpersonal skills
Demonstrating self-awareness and inspiring and
motivating others
For example, headteachers display self-awareness
and manage self effectively, confront difficult issues
and deal positively with criticism, are assertive and
calm in a crisis and defuse potential problems. They
understand issues from the point of view of others
including children and young people and value the views
and feelings of others and take them into account. They
demonstrate consistency and optimism, remain
interested, committed, enthusiastic and well-informed,
have a sense of humour and encourage creativity and
participation
Judging wisely and deciding
appropriately
For example, headteachers use effective
decision-making processes and problem-solving
techniques (personally and with others), analyse risks
and problems effectively, think strategically, remain
flexible and open to new ideas. They take account of
others' views as well as own experience, use convergent
and divergent thinking, generate different ways of
achieving aims, see and use opportunities and avoid
threat.
Communicating effectively
For example, headteachers listen well and invite
feedback, provide good and timely information in an
appropriate format to children and young people, staff,
parents, local communities, other professionals, local
authorities, etc. They understand how to maintain good
public relations and deal with
PR issues, the media and the
press.
Showing political insight
For example, headteachers understand issues
relating to power and influence, are aware of their own
use of power and personal biases and those of others,
and understand the political implications of their
actions.
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